Underneath the Moonlight
by evelinaonline
Summary: Maybe the Jupiter Jim Moon Buggy wasn't the best thing to come out of two brothers' adventure. [ROTTMNT, Mikey and Donnie bonding]


**This one-shot is a gift to my friend sarcasticscribbles on tumblr! Happy birthday dude, ilysm! Hope you enjoy this one-shot featuring Don, Mikey, and the cutest tiny corgi ever :3**

* * *

One thing was for certain; Donnie and his brother must have been the biggest Jupiter Jim fans out there. No ordinary person would go through the trouble of designing and constructing an amusement park-like puppy shelter for a vehicle.

Not just any vehicle, Donnie had to remind himself. The authentic Jupiter Jim Moon Buggy, used in all 60 sequels of Jupiter Jim's Last Trip to the Moon, touched by the producers of the show, driven by Jupter Jim _himself_-

Donnie needed his hands on that vehicle.

He was only one fourth of an amusement park away. At least he had lemonade.

The turtle slurped the lasts of his drink, putting one last detail to his blueprints. In only a day, the Moon Buggy would be his, and he could use it for whatever he wanted. The possibilities were endless, and all he could think about was the modifications he'd make, and the _ice cream machine_-

"Hey, it's time for bed!"

And Mikey.

Donnie's first thought was to shake his brother off. He wasn't tired, and he certainly didn't want to be bossed around at this hour. It didn't take him long to realise that Mikey wasn't talking to him, but to one of the dogs.

It was the tiniest, roundest golden corgi Donnie had ever laid his eyes on, and it was right there, jumping on Mikey's leg excitedly. And Mikey? He looked ready to scold it for not being asleep of all things.

Donnie couldn't help but chuckle.

"Help me, Don!"

"Nah," Donnie cleared his throat. "I think I'll just sit here and encourage you from afar."

"Donnie!"

"Go on, humble warrior! You shall defeat thy beast!"

"Freddie is _not_ a beast!" Mikey pouted, picking the dog up, which immediately started licking his face.

"Congratulations, Miguel, you've won."

The younger turtle shook his head in disapproval, sitting down next to Donnie, with Freddie between his legs.

"Thou shall receive lots of gold and fortune-"

"Will I-?"

"-and dog treats!"

"Ohmigosh!" Mikey grinned, Freddie mimicking him. "Such an honor!"

"Indeed, indeed," Donnie said, wrapping his arm around his brother. "Now, what's wrong?"

Mikey's smile was replaced by a frown. "How can you always tell when something is wrong?"

"Gut instict, I guess," Donnie said. "That or there was something in Todd's juice."

Mikey chuckled, and for a second, it was as if everything was alright. Yet no matter how hard he tried not to, Donnie could still hear that hint of sadness in Mikey's voice, and it was driving him insane. Somehow, having his most cheerful brother be upset, felt wrong.

"I'm gonna miss the puppies, Dee."

"Oh."

Donnie could pinpoint the exact moment that Mikey's heart broke. He was smiling, but the pearcing melancholy in his voice was impossible to be overlooked.

Donnie felt as if his heart was breaking too.

"I know we haven't been here for long, but," Mikey said, while petting Freddie, "I really am going to miss them."

"Come here, buddy," Donnie said, pulling Mikey closer to him.

The younger turtle didn't wait a second to snuggle against his brother's side, causing Freddie to move between them. Donnie would have lied if he said it didn't feel good to know his brother felt safe in his arms.

"Talk about what you're feeling," Donnie suggested. "Like we said we'd do when we're upset. What are you thinking of right now?"

"The puppies, for starters," Mikey said, "and that it feels good to be outside the city for once. It's nice out here. There's a lot of free space, and I like that."

"I like it too," Donnie admitted. "Can't say I'd mind being in my lab, but it really is nice out here. A change is nice."

Mikey nodded. "A change is nice."

Things went quiet between them for a while. With no blueprints or something to fidget with, Donnie could actually hear the sounds of nature. The crickets, the night owls, Freddie's quiet panting…

"I feel like me and Freddie are friends," Mikey broke the silence.

Donnie chuckled. "You're friends with all the puppies, Mikey."

"Of course I am!" Mikey said. "But Freddie and I have this connection, you know?"

"I know," Donnie said, because even if it sounded crazy, he really _did _know.

"I'm happy we're making him a home," Mikey continued. "It's going to be the best shelter ever. For Todd, Freddie, and all the puppies."

"Of course it is!" Donnie said. "The puppies will live like kings. And queens. And any other type of excellence, it's twenty-eighteen."

Mikey giggled, and Donnie felt as if he could breathe again. "Yeah!"

"And hey, think of when we'll revisit with our brand new - _slash_ \- upgraded Moon Buggy, A-K-A the best thing my genius self will ever work on, _wink wink_."

"Did you just say 'wink wink' out loud?" Mikey asked, clearly holding back his laughter.

"Did do, Miguel, did do."

Now laughing, Mikey snuggled closer again.

"Thank you, Dee," he said. "This is the best day ever."

"I suppose it is," Donnie admitted, his eyes locked on the corgi on their lap. "And judging by Freddie's flapping tail, he seems to agree."

The small dog woofed before sticking his tongue out at them.

"Awwww, who's a good doggie!" Mikey said, pulling the corgi closer. "You are! Yes, you are!"

It was at moments like these that Donnie realised how lucky he was to have Mikey by his side - both literally, and metaphorically speaking. Not even in his lab back at home would he feel the same amount of happiness.

His little brother was special.

"Now, it's time for bed," Mikey said.

Donnie shook his head at his brother's attempts to put Freddie to sleep. "I don't think he wants to sleep, Angelo."

"I was talking to _you_, Donnie," Mikey rolled his eyes.

"Oh. That makes sense."

"Of course it does, it's way past your bedtime!"

"I have a bedtime?"

"Close your eyes, mister scientist!"

Donnie sighed. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't tired after all this emotional talk, yet it felt as if they weren't quite done yet.

"You're great, you know that?"

Mikey gave him a small smile, but it was the brightest he'd put on his face the entire night. "You too, Dee. I love you."

"I love you too."

Donnie could have never imagined that the best nap of his life would be in the middle of an under-construction dog shelter, with his brother, and a puppy, in his arms.


End file.
